Car-coupling.



No. 648,957. Patented may 8, |900.

J.. S. HOOD.'

GAR GOUPLING.

(Application med May 31, 1899.)

W- u n NITED STATES PATENT rrrcii.

Josnrn s. HOOD, or srAnLsro'wN, PENNSYLVANIA.y

"cARQooUPLING;

Asrisx'c-IFrcnrroiv forming' part or 'Letters 13aeqnt'1vle4s57, date-a May 8, ieo. l Appinanon 'md my snie. Serin No. 718,906.r (Nb-maand To @ZZ whom tja/tary concern: I

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. HOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stahls- The invention relatesto improvements in car-couplings. .Y

One object of,V the present Yinvention is to improve the construction of car-'couplings and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one capable of coupling automatically and adapted to be readily uncoupled without go@ ing between the cars. f

A further object of the invention is to cushion theearsbefore the car-couplings engage eachother, whereby the!1 couplings are preL vented from being broken or oth'erwis'ein-l jured by the blows incident to coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carecoupling of this character adapted to employ a link foroonnecting two cars and eapableof automatically engaging the saine when the'link is at an angle, as well as when it is in alinement with the couplings.

The invention consistsin the'construction and .novelcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully-described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1is a longitudinal sectional vie wshowin g two cars provided with automatic couplers constructed in accordance with this invention and coupled. Fig. 2 is a similar view of one of the 'car-couplin gs, showing the same set for automatic coupling. Fig. 3 isa reverse plan view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the link. l

Like numerals of .reference designate cor responding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a car-coupling comprising a pair of longitudinal bars or members 2 and 3, connected with suitable draft mechanism and designed to be mounted on a car 4r. The lower bar 2 is provided at its outer end with an opening 5, and the upper barcarries a tongue or pin 6, adapted to extend through the opening 5 and capable of engaging a link 7, similar to an Ordinary coupling-pin, whereby two ranged at the bottom of the coupling; lbut itk willbe readily apparent'that the bars 2 and -3 maybe reversed to arrange the bar 2 at the top instead of at thebottom. I The barsf2'and 3 are hingedly connected and are adapted to open, as illustratedin Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.'l The bar 2 is preferably stationary ywith regard to Vertical movement, and the bar 3 isv preferablyhingedv between itsends at 8 to a transverse bar 9, -which is bolted orotherwise mounted on the' bar 2 and which is connected with the draft mechanism.

The hingedv or movable bar 3 is'opened or swung away from the bar 2 byA means of a transverse'l rock-shaft 10, journaled in suitable bearings' and provided with an-arm 1l', preferably'of the'width of 'the bars 2 and 3, and having its outer edge rounded, as shown, and adapted to engage a groove or seat 13, extending transversely ofl the inner face of the upper bar 3, whereby it is prevented from accidentally slipping when the jaw or bar is open. VThe rock-shaft, which may extend to cars are coupled', as clearlyshown in Fig.' 1 of the means hereinafter described, whereby the rock-shaft-is rotated to swingv the arm 11 downward and cause the tongue or pin 6 to engage the link 7 when two cars come together. The centrally-arranged depending arm '1l extends through a slot 16 of the bar 2 and is engaged by a lug 17, arrangedon the upper face of a"longitudinallymovable buier 18, which is adapted to cushionthec'ars as they come together to prevent the coupling from being injured. The longitudinallf-movable buffer-bar, which has its inner portions reduced to receive a coiled spring 19, which is provided at its outer end with a bilder 20, is mounted in suitable guides, the vspring being interposed between the inner guide and the shoulder-formed by reducing the inner IOO `or jaws 2 and 3.

portion of the buffer-bar. The buffer-head normally projectsbeyond the car-coupling when cars are not coupled and the bufferheads of two cars engage each other before the car-couplings come in contact with each V'posed between the rear portions of the bars The spring 21, which may be of any desired construction, is shown in the parts are set for automatic coupling, andV it is adapted to engage a suitable stop or bracket 24: of another ear, whereby it will be i moved inward and will cause the rock-shaft to rotate. Each car is designed to be provided with a reciprocating push-bar and with abracket orstop, the push-bar being arranged at one side of the car and the bracket or stop at the other. .i

The transverse bar 9, which forms laterally-extending arms at opposite sides of the car-coupling, is provided with openings for the reception of longitudinal guide-rods 25, and the said arms engage cushioning-springs 26, disposed on the rods 25. Instead, however, of connecting the car-coupling to draftrigging ofithis construction anyother desired form of draft mechanism may be employed.

The depending tongue or pin 6 of the bar 8 has its lower end oppositely beveled or tapered, and the link is provided with beveled ends, and it has openings 27 Vto receive the pins or tongues of two car-couplings. The openin gs 27, which extend transversely of the link, have their side and end walls beveled at 28 and 29, forming flaring entrances,where by the link is adapted to readily couple when it is arranged out of alinement with the bars 2 and 3, thereby enabling the coupling to operate on curves as well as on a straightftrack.

The invention has the following advantages: Thecar-coupling, which is simple, inexpensive, strong, and durable, is positive, reliable, and automatic in its operation and obviates the necessity of going between cars in coupling and uncoupling them. The double-operating mechanism, which is located at the center and at opposite sides of the bars, insures a perfect operation, and the central operating device also serves as a cushion or buifer to relieve the ear-couplin gs of the force of the blow incident to coupling. The flaring openings of the link and the tapering tongues or pins of the ear-couplings enable the operation of coupling to be performed' when the link is straight or in alinement with the bars 2 and 3 and also when it is arranged at an angle to them--as, for instance, in coupling on curves. j The openings of the link are of suieient size to provide for the necessary ,play incident` to rounding curves, and the aforesaid construction will enable the tongues or pins to engage "the linkin any position the latter may assume. l

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without depart-ing from the spirit or sacriicing any of the advantages of this invention, such as varying the form of the spring for closing the jaws of the car-coupling, the

arrangement of the jaws, and the means for mounting the same on a car. r

What is claimed is a car of two jaws or bars hingedly connected, one of the jaws or bars being provided with an opening and the other having apin ortongue adapted to extend through the opening, and capable of engaging a link, atransverse rockshaft provided with an arm 1l adapted to engage one of the jaws, an arm 15 extending from the rock-shaft in the opposite direction from the arm 1l, and a longitudinally-movable push-bar mounted in suitable guides, connected with the arm 15, and adapted to extend beyond the car to engage a corresponding push-bar of another car,whereby it is operated when two cars come together for coupling, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a car of two jaws or bars hingedly connected and adapted to engage a link, a rock-shaft eX- tending between the jaws or bars and pro` IOO IIO

3. In a car-coupling, the combination with a car of the bars 2 and 3 hingedly connected, the bar 2 being provided with a slot, a rockshaft extending between the jaws or bars and provided with an arm 11 for engaging the bar 3 and having an arm 14 extending through the slot of the bar 2, and a reciprocating buffer-bar having'a cushioning-spring and provided with a lug arranged to engage the bar 14, said buffer-bar extending beyond the car and adapted to engage the buffer-bar of another car, substantially as described.

4. Inacar-eoupling, the combination of the bars 2 and 3 hingedly connected and adapted to engage the link, oneof the bars being provided with an opening and having a slot and the other bar being provided with a tongue extended beyond the car substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of dtwo Witnesses.

JOSEPH S. HOOD.

Witnesses:

C. F. MARKER, S. S. DICE. 

